The Tahquamenon River wanders through woods, big woods, deep woods, full of the sorts of animals that look good in woods and people who generally do not mind they are there. With a long past, thanks to the Native Americans who lived amongst the animals and trees and cultivated what they could, the river and the county named after it echo, not with epic tales of battles and conquest, but with stories of people trying to make a living and get by. Taylor was born practically on the river and spent most of his life there, taking in the echoes and the small stories and delivering them with grace and quiet humor here. He is specific as to why logging became so important to the humans who gathered by the water's edge and why many quiet lives make up a region, a nation, a world. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)